Case Study

The following is an illustration of how this type of document works.

Stacy was attending college to be a medical doctor. While driving home one night, Stacy was in a car accident that left her in a permanent coma. The doctors were unable to confirm whether she had any brain activity for an extended period of time.

Stacy had one brother, George, and one sister, Jane. Because Stacy's parents were already deceased, George and Jane served as Stacy's next-of-kin.

Luckily, while going through Stacy's apartment to collect her belongings, George and Jane found Stacy's estate planning documents. One of the documents they found was a living will that Stacy signed when she first entered medical school. It declared her intentions to have any medical treatment removed as long as the treatment was only being administered to extend her life if she was in a permanent coma.

This document gave George and Jane the confidence to make the right decision on Stacy's behalf to remove the life support. Without that type of documentation, her siblings may have endured added heartache from the extra pressure of having to agree on what to do for Stacy or what type of treatment she would have wanted.

Have You Recently Moved?
If you have executed a living will or medical power of attorney in a state where you have previously lived, the form may not be valid in your new state. See an attorney in your new state to be certain your documents will be honored.